#Cauliflower

This one is especially for my hubby who is completely crazy about this Punjabi pickle (and I had never tried it). This is my first attempt on making something which I have never tasted (this is only because I am not very fond of turnips).

Cut all the vegetables in medium size. Par boil the vegetables. Drain the vegetables and dry them thoroughly by spreading them on absorbent sheet/towel. Dry them in sun by spreading them in a tray/thali for an entire day.

Day 2 (after drying vegetables in sun for 1 day).

In a pan or karahi/wok, heat the mustard oil (smoking hot). Add ginger, garlic paste, turmeric, rai powder, chilly powder and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add vegetables, garam masala and salt. Cook them (constantly stirring the mix) for 5 more minutes (this helps in removing the water which is released sometimes after adding salt). Remove from heat and keep aside in a vessel.

In another pan, heat jaggery and vinegar together till the jaggery is completely dissolved. Cool it and then add it to the already prepared mix of vegetables. Mix well.

Store them in clean, dry jars. (I usually use glass jars or traditional ceramic pickle jars for storing pickles).

Keep the pickle in sun for 5-6 days. The sourness increases as the pickle gets older, the older the pickle the tastier it is.

In a pan heat oil. Add kalonji and methi daana. When they start to crackle, add ginger garlic paste and keep stirring to avoid it sticking to the pan and burning. When the colour turns light brown, add chopped onion. Fry onion till colour turns to light brown. Now add the onion tomato paste. Add turmeric and fry till it starts leaving oil. Add the coriander paste. Fry it for around 5 minutes. Please remember if you over fry the mix now the flavour would change. Add the cauliflower and peas. This dish has to be in latpat form (i.e. the masala should stick to the vegetables and should not be in thin watery form). Add salt, heeng and a little water. Cover the pan and cook on low heat till done (it would take around 10 minutes).